North Union voters approve PPEL funding

February 7, 2014

Voters of North Union School District Tuesday approved two public measures that would give the board authority to assess a physical plant and equipment levy up to $1.34 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The vote also approved a physical plant and equipment income surtax not to exceed 20 percent of the state individual income tax.

With a light voter turnout of 6.12 percent of registered voters, nearly 61 percent of voters favored Public Measure A authorizing the levy. Just over 71.03 percent approved Public Measure B, the revenue purpose statement for how the money will be used, namely building construction and repair of buildings and other purposes.

Superintendent Matt Berninghaus said Wednesday he was pleased with the outcome of the election which he said is "making sure we can meet our needs in the future."

Berninghaus emphasized that voter approval does not necessarily mean that the levy would automatically go to $1.34 - it just authorizes use of the levy. The revenue purpose statement authorizes using the money for bricks and mortar, transportation and the district's one-on-one technology initiative.

"It gives the board a lot of authority to go ahead and do what it needs to do," Berninghaus said.